Parent Update-March 7, 2023

Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• March 16, Science Night, 5pm-8pm

• March 27-31, Spring Break

News you can use!

• Mark your calendars for Science Night! This free family event will take place on Thursday, March 16th from 5:00-8:00 PM here at the school. Join us for hands-on science experiments and demonstrations that are fun for the whole family! Students will also experience a Mobile Dairy Lab on March 14 in preparation for this fun event.

• Penny Wars is underway! Ask your child how you can help their grade level win!

• 5th Grade/Middle Grades Parents: Please complete the recently sent intent form for 2023-2024, the last year of middle grades at Little River. Reach out to your child’s teacher or Dr. Hogans if you need a new form.

Best,

CHogans, EdD

Parent Update-February 15, 2023

Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• February 20, Teacher Workday

News you can use!

• PTO Dine Out Event-Monday through Thursday this week, Elmo’s Diner is hosting a dine out week for Little River! A percentage of all dine in sales from Monday through Thursday will be donated back to our school. Be sure to tell them you’re with Little River! Members of the PTO board will be there for breakfast Thursday morning after drop off and would love to have you join us. Elmo’s is located at 776 9th Street and their hours are 7am-3pm daily.

• Kids Heart Challenge-Only a few days left to support this initiative! Please register your child online here or download the free app to participate for iPhone and Android. All donations are due by Feb. 15th.

• Growing Together-Presentation slides will be available soon!

Best,

CHogans, EdD

Parent Update-February 9, 2023

Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• February 2, Growing Together Information Session with PTO, 6 pm

• February 6,

• School Improvement, 2:45pm

• PTO, 6pm

• February 8, Early Release Day, 12:15 Dismissal

• February 20, Teacher Workday

News you can use!

• Growing Together-Thank you for those of you able to join our information session last week. Presentation slides will be available soon!

Best,

CHogans, EdD

Parent Update-January 30, 2023

 Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• February 2, Growing Together Information Session/PTO, 6 pm, Little River Gym

• February 6,

• School Improvement, 2:45pm

• PTO, 6pm

• February 8, Early Release Day, 12:15 Dismissal

• February 20, Teacher Workday

News you can use!

• Registration for Fourth, Fifth and Middle Grades Students for Saturday Robot Academy this week! Registration flyers were sent home Friday, January 27! Please return to your child’s teacher by Wednesday, February 1 if interested in participation.

• Growing Together Update: On Thursday evening, February 2, Dr. Hogans and members of the district Growing Together team will host with PTO an information session on the coming change to Montessori and the close of our middle grades program. Please see flyer information sent home in backpacks on Monday, January 30. (You can also view flyers here: ENG SPA.)

• Kids Heart Challenge-Little River is thrilled to be supporting the American Heart Association to help kids with special hearts as well as teach our students how to take care of their hearts through the Kids Heart Challenge program. You will help Little River earn physical education equipment with your donations! These events will take place during your child’s PE class February 8th-15th. Please register your child online here or download the free app to participate for iPhone and Android. All donations are due by Feb. 15th.  

Best,

CHogans, EdD

Parent Update-January 25, 2023

Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• February 8, Early Release Day, 12:15 Dismissal

• February 20, Teacher Workday

News you can use!

• Registration for Fourth, Fifth and Middle Grades Students for Saturday Robot Academy this week! Look for registration flyers this week!

• Growing Together Update: Many in our school community are aware that Little River will become DPS’ third Montessori elementary program in 2024-2025 as a part of DPS’ Growing Together initiative. At its January 19 meeting, the DPS Board voted to approve the Growing Together proposal. This vote updates the school assignment plan for the district, starting in the 2024-2025 school year. View the Board presentation here.

• Lucas Middle School is hosting an Open House on Thursday, January 26, 5pm-6:30pm.

Best,

CHogans, EdD

Parent Update-January 18, 2023

Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• February 6, Early Release Day, 12:15 Dismissal

• CORRECTION: February 8, Early Release Day, 12:15 Dismissal

News you can use!

• Coach Holden returns to Little River to offer a basketball clinic to K-5 students during second semester. If interested, please see information here. Register at www.t3labnc.com. 

• The second quarter ended January 13. Reports Cards will be distributed the week of January 24.

Best,

CHogans, EdD

Parent Update-January 9, 2023

 Hello Little River Community!

Periodic updates are shared each week during the school year regarding school via phone, email, and text. See updates below!

Mark your calendars!

• January 9, PTO Meeting, 6pm

• January 16, MLK Holiday, No School

• January 17, Teacher Workday, No School

News you can use!

• Little River Robotics Academy: Little River will conduct a Robotics Academy on Saturday mornings during the second semester for students in grades 4-8. Look for registration information next week!

• Growing Together Update: Many in our school community are aware that Little River will become DPS’ third Montessori elementary program in 2024-2025 as a part of DPS’ Growing Together initiative. Since the launch of Growing Together in 2019, DPS’ goals have been to ensure that every elementary school in DPS has enhanced STEM, arts, and global language for our students; to foster diversity, equity, and access to DPS academic programs, and to respond to 30 years of growth and change in Durham County. The Durham Public Schools Board of Education adopted new elementary school boundaries for the 2024-25 school year in June 2022. You can see the new 2024-25 school boundaries and the application program options for your child’s address by clicking here and using our interactive map of elementary school boundaries for 2024-25. The next step is finalizing “rules of access” for application (magnet) schools and for families whose elementary school boundaries will be changing in 2024. DPS administrators are taking family feedback gathered during the regional workshops and have shared a draft framework for rules of access with a community working group that includes families, educators, and community members. DPS is taking the working group’s feedback and will present a proposal to the DPS Board of Education at its Thursday, Jan. 12, work session beginning at 5:30 p.m. The school board is expected to vote on the proposed rules at a special called meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19. These new rules and boundaries do not take effect until the 2024-25 school year. 

• Recently DPS launched both the DPS Mobile App and the Edulog app. Both DPS Mobile App and  Edulog app are available now for download and use. Note that Here Comes the Bus is no longer active.

• School Visitation Guidance In follow up to the district communication parents have received about updates to our school protocols for visiting during instructional hours. Please refer to the school parent student handbook. Look for the sections for Volunteers and Classroom Visits. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Hogans.

• Adjustment to Morning Car Drop-off/Afternoon Car Pick-up Traffic Pattern: Beginning Monday, January 9, a slight adjustment to your usual access to car-rider access will begin. Due to the upcoming roof replacement for the school, the construction contractors are having to use a part of the large parking lot for staging. Rather than making the second turn in the large parking lot to get to the car-rider lane, you'll have to simply make the first turn. It should be apparent as the traffic barrels will also force the adjustment. This adjustment will be in place for the next few months and only impacts access to morning drop-off and pick up for school age, general education students, as well as pick up for aftercare. Buses, PK arrival/drop-off, and drop-off and pick up for students in the Special Populations Program of the Exceptional Children’s Program will not be impacted.

Best,

CHogans, EdD